chilli picks

[CaroleL]

This is my first time growing chillis so I'm quite excited to see how many I get. I'm growing Summer heat (from seed) and Apache (bought as small plants)



The ones in the small pots are destined for the square foot garden. I thought I'd see how they do in there as well as the greenhouse.

[jackarmy]

You could just water when the lower leaves start to wilt....

Thats what i do , chillis are tough and dont like drowning ( do any of us appart from Leo ) , leave those leave wilt then soak them good.
I feed mine once a week with tom food and they thrive on it, appart from this year, for some reason im miles behind.

[kris1960]

Failed with 6 varieties on first, second and third sowing. I really love chillies as well!

[Philthy]

...apart from this year, for some reason im miles behind

I wouldn't worry too much about that. I think most people (myself included) have been frustrated by the cool May and changeable June. I made the mistake of thinking summer had arrived early (like it did last year), and put several of my pots out in the GH during that fleeting hot spell in April. But the night time temperatures were not sufficient to maintain active growth, so the plants basically went back to sleep. Brought back indoors it still took awhile for the growth cycle to be reactivated, so all in all I'm probably several weeks behind too

[AJ WEBB]

Hi everyone, I have a bhut jolokia(ghost chilli), a chocolate habenero, and a Trinidad scorpion. They are all inside on my kitchen windowsill. They all have lots of flowers, but I've noticed over the last few days some of the flowers have been dropping off?? Any ideas people ?? The plants are pretty big, the scorpion is about 2 feet tall !! All the leaves look nice and green

[jackarmy]

If all goes well you should be seeing the pitter patter of tiny green chillis pretty soon

[chilli_grower]

Aj WEBB - Your flowers are probably falling off because they have not been pollintated...

You need to hand pollinate if the plants are indoors...

[AJ WEBB]

Aj WEBB - Your flowers are probably falling off because they have not been pollintated...

You need to hand pollinate if the plants are indoors...

OK, what's the best way to do that ?? Thanks

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Well! My "Boys are out" Rest put in last positions! See how we go!

[chilli_grower]

AJ WEBB - When the flowers are open, just rub your little finger in the middle of it gently.

You will see a little 'puff' of pollen bounce from the flower, and that's it!

[snakeshack]

Hi everyone, I have a bhut jolokia(ghost chilli), a chocolate habenero, and a Trinidad scorpion. They are all inside on my kitchen windowsill. They all have lots of flowers, but I've noticed over the last few days some of the flowers have been dropping off?? Any ideas people ?? The plants are pretty big, the scorpion is about 2 feet tall !! All the leaves look nice and green

could be the flowers are dropping off because they have not been pollinated as there are relatively few insects indoors to do the job,dusting allthe flowers with a small soft paintbrush will help,I leave a brush stuck in the pots so I minimise cross pollination between varieties if I want to save seed,or if you want to be sure,keep different varieties on widowsills in different rooms.Outside its a free for all anyway unless you keep them netted in varieties

[the big lebowski]

looking good deano ,tidy set up

[Ian_5]

yeah, thats pretty organised Deano, good stuff! makes mine look like a bit of a rabble though! ha

any way this is where i'm up to, no idea if i'm ahead or behind where i was last year, i'm guessing behind...

[More basil]

Today has been the first chilli preserving day of 2015, yipee. The harvest is from overwintered chilles, Ring of fire and Aji Lemon . I still pinch myself when I see how much better they are doing than this year's plant. There are a few fruits forming on the young Hungarian Hot waxes and Padrons but the habaneros are no where near producing any fruit.

I will be interested to see if my ring of Ring of fire chillies will dry, otherwise they'll go in a low oven. The Aji lemon drops have now been pickled in white wine vinegar with bay leaves and a bit of lemon thyme.

[jackarmy]

Man i gonna have to get some serious advice on over wintering.